Re: Lee, Lifeson & Peart

: : : : : : : In politics, the challenger is often said to have great disadvantages compared with the incumbent. Under the current situation in the US, however, the challenger has only to say that the incumbent did it wrong, and I would have done it right. His alternate plan, which has not been tested in the real world, would work while the incumbents real life plan had flaws and shortcomings.
: : : : : : : Seems to me that you need a very closely split and divided electorate for this strategy to bear fruit. Is there any other evidence of this approach succeeding in a democracy?

: : : : : :
: : : : : : what does it have to do with phrases?

: : : : : I guess the phrase is "challenger's advantage."

: : : : Doh! That would make sense. Usually in US politics though, the incumbent usually has the advantage - even if he/she didn't do a very good job. I'm not sure why that is. Maybe it has to do with people feeling more conservative about elections than other things. Better the devil you know...

: : : The incumbent has all the trappings and conveniences of the office, such as staff, transportation, symbols etc., in which to wrap him/herself, consequently, the advantage in a bid for re-election. The challenger, on the other hand, is not burdened with the incumbent's performance record or "baggage," and is also said to have a certain type of advantage in an election.
: : : Not to choose is to choose!

: :
: : "If I choose not to decide, I still have made a choice" Rush

: : thought you might like th erest of the lyrics too :

: : "Freewill"

: : There are those who think that life has nothing left to chance
: : A host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance

: : A planet of play things
: : We dance on the strings
: : Of powers we cannot perceive
: : 'The stars aren't aligned
: : Or the gods are malign...'
: : Blame is better to give than receive

: : [Chorus:]
: : You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
: : If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
: : You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill
: : I will choose a path that's clear
: : I will choose freewill

: : There are those who think
: : That they were dealt a losing hand
: : The cards were stacked against them
: : They weren't born in Lotusland

: : All preordained
: : A prisoner in chains
: : A victim of venomous fate
: : Kicked in the face
: : You can't pray for a place
: : In heaven's unearthly estate

: Lewis, do you have any idea when Neil Peart wrote these "Freewill" lyrics since I had a poster on my office wall back in 1968 which said "Not to choose is to choose!"?

The track "Freewill" is attributed to all three Rush members of that time, and since Peart only joined the band in 1975, it's a fair bet to assume the lyrics were conceived after that year and post-date your poster. "Freewill" originally featured on the album "Permanent Waves", recorded in the autumn of 1979.

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